


a kiss just waiting to happen

by warptimeandspace



Category: The Room Where It Happened (Podcast)
Genre: Adventuring, Established Relationship, F/F, Fear of the Future/Unknown, Physical and emotional healing, Post-Canon, Temporary Character Death, Tessa and Ai vs The World, me looking at tessa: this is my emotional support paladin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:28:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24816115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warptimeandspace/pseuds/warptimeandspace
Summary: Tessa isn’t actually sure where they are right now. They’re far from Luume, in a place colder and quieter. The air is clean in a way that betrays that there are no people here, no cars, no nothing.Tessa pauses and breaths. She is alive and this is the rest of the world, the world after The End of the World. Tessa’s a little bit in love with it. She’s in love with life spread out in front of her, with barriers broken though, with—”“Baby?” Ai asks, “You stopped. You good?”or: tessa, ai, and the future
Relationships: Tessa Blackmoor/Ai Ibushi, secondary corra/otto and tseer/wyatt/river but that's just canon
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	a kiss just waiting to happen

Tessa died last night.

She died and got yanked back into her body. She didn’t let go.

She’s exhausted, dying takes a lot out of you, but she’s breathing. She’s still hungry. She’s still reaching out for Ai in this too-hot room, in this too-small bed, in an inn in this town they’ve visited before. Tessa is alive.

She kicked the sheets off because it feels like the air is boiling. Tessa feels ill, like she’s got the flu from hell, but she’s not alone. Ai is beside her, holding her hand with a concerned look on her face.

This obviously isn’t the first time this has happened to Tessa. She’s died a number of times, not more than she can count on one hand, but considering that humans generally only die once it’s significant.

Still, this is the first time without a healer by her side. This time was close.

“Tessa,” Ai says.

“I know,” Tessa says.

“ _Tessa.”_

“I know,” Tessa says a little more solidly.

“We can’t make a habit of this,” Ai says. “Come on Tessa.”

“They were going to kill that kid.” Tessa says, “I don’t regret it.”

“They did kill you though,” Ai says. “If the girl’s parent wasn’t a healer you’d be _gone._ ”

“I’m not though,” Tessa says, “I’m right here.”

“God Tessa,” Ai says, laying down beside her. She rests a hand on Tessa’s face as they get close. “Don’t fuckin’ scare me like that.”

“You didn’t try to stop me,” Tessa says,

“Because I knew you wouldn’t let that kid die,” Ai says, “You’d do the same thing again.”

Ai’s right. Not only would Tessa do it again, she probably will. Sometimes daggers need to be stopped from hitting their targets. Sometimes she jumps in the way. She’s got a get out of jail card, a god behind her that knows she’s doing good work. She’s not scared of dying. Tessa knows what’s next and she knows that it’s not something to dread. 

“I’ll try to be more careful,” Tessa offers. “I’ll try to find better options.”

Ai sighs, then kisses Tessa gently. Tessa feels so, so safe. She feels at home. She reaches up an arm that still feels like it’s made of stone and rests her palm on Ai’s cheek, her fingers brushing back her hair.

“That’s all I can ask, I guess,” Ai says. “Damn. We’ve gotta get a Wand of Revivify.”

***

Tessa had never really left Luume before now. She’d gone as far as Tseer’s farm, but that’s about it. She liked the city well enough; it was familiar and crowded. She knew how to get around, knew which neighborhoods were run by people she trusted, knew what places to avoid like the plague. There was a bakery within walking distance of Keeper Campus that she’d been going to for the past ten years, she was the same age as one of the owner’s children. She knew where half a dozen clerics lived near the club, creating volunteer emergency services while their neighborhood was boxed in. 

Luume was familiar; this is not.

Tessa isn’t actually sure where they are right now. They’re far from Luume, in a place colder and quieter. The air is clean in a way that betrays that there are no people here, no cars, no nothing.

Tessa pauses and _breaths._ She is alive and this is the rest of the world, the world after _The End of the World._ Tessa’s a little bit in love with it. She’s in love with life spread out in front of her, with barriers broken though, with—”

“Baby?” Ai asks, “You stopped. You good?”

Tessa in love with Ai. That’s nothing new. Her love for Ai is a constant, it’s never-ending. Tessa loves Ai more than freedom, loves her more than all of her tomorrows. She loves her like she loves the Raven Queen, devotional.

“I’m good,” Tessa says because she is. She’s happy and whole in a way that she never expected. “I’m really, really good.”

Ai backtracks back to Tessa and takes her hand. She squeezes it tight and waits because she knows sometimes Tessa just needs to _stop._ She’s been a poster child since she was five years old; a soldier since she was

sixteen. She was in command of a rebellion at twenty-two and expected to die for her cause. Now, she and Ai do what they want.

Today, that’s what they’re doing. They’re climbing a mountain because a barkeep at the last village they stopped at said that there was a “problem involving werewolves” about five miles up the trail and it sounded like a good time.

“I really, really love you,” Tessa says.

Ai tugs her down and kisses her, a quick brush of lips that makes Tessa feel soft. The fact that she knew to expect the kiss makes her feel even better.

“Yeah,” Ai says, “Love you too. Let’s go kick some ass.”

***

Tessa laces her fingers with Ai’s. They’re close-- so, so close, and Tessa loves it. She loves being able to see Ai’s chest rise and fall. She loves her freckles, faint sun kisses speckled across Ai’s face, her arms, and down her back. Tessa loves Ai’s gold-brown eyes, bright and beautiful. She even loves her scars, because they mean she’s a fucking survivor. 

“You are my favorite person,” Tessa whispers, “I’m so fucking glad I met you.” 

Ai kisses her, slow and sweet. Tessa cannot think of anything else she would rather be doing, anywhere else she would rather be, than right here in this sleeping bag, on the ground of a tent that filters all light a hazy orange. She can’t think of any place she’d rather be other than right here in Ai’s arms. 

***

The weight of Tessa’s greatsword in her hands centers her. The weight is comfortable, it is constant. Tessa feels useful like this, capable. She knows how to stand strong, even weight on both feet. Tessa knows how to take a hit and she definitely knows how to strike back. 

She knows where the swing of her sword will take her, how much she has to adjust for the movement and momentum to stay standing. 

There’s a dragon in front of her, a terrifying mass of shined copper, almost as tall as the apartment Tessa and Ai lived in back in Luume. It’s furious, for what reason Tessa can’t figure, and needs to be stopped. Three buildings in the town they visited last had been crushed, with more than twice that scorched. 

“Hey!” Tessa yells, “I really don’t want to kill you, but I will if I have to. Can we talk about what’s got you so mad?” 

A claw swipes down. Tessa blocks with her sword held horizontally over her head, braced against the palm of her off-hand. Tessa grits her teeth at the crushing pressure and the bite of her blade into her fingers but she doesn’t fall. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Ai approaching the dragon, a potion that looks like night in her hand. Tessa has to stall just a little bit longer.

“I learned a new trick!” Tessa calls, “Here. I’ll show you. Just turn around.” 

The dragon turns curiously, which concretely confirms that the issue isn’t due to a language barrier, it’s just in a shitty mood. Tessa’s guardian is behind the dragon, gloves dropped, ready to clock it in the face. Because the guardian is more than twice her height, it has a much easier time striking it on the nose. 

As it turns out, the dragon does not like it when people strike it on the nose. 

“You know what?” Tessa calls, “That one was my bad. I should have thought that through. Can you look me in the face so I can apologize?” 

The dragon turns, acid and ichor dripping from its nose. Tessa braces for the burn of an acid cloud to hit her lungs. Instead, there’s the sound of glass shattering quickly followed by the _thunk_ of something very large hitting the ground very loud. The dragon starts to snore. 

“You good?” Tessa asks, running up to Ai. Ai’s stripping off her gloves, which drip with acid as they hit the ground. They’re ruined but that's okay. They can get new gloves; there’s only one Ai. 

“Fine,” Ai says, sounding annoyed, “I burned my hands, but I’m fine.” 

“May I?” Tessa asks as she stows her sword.

Ai nods, sitting cross-legged on the ground. She looks tired, with a splatter of small blisters across her face alongside the creeping burns on her hands. 

Tessa kneels. Instead of reaching for her hands, Tessa cups Ai’s face with her palms, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Ai relaxes, tension melting out of her shoulders. She shows Tessa one of her hands with a smile. Her palms are pink with new skin but otherwise alright. 

“Thanks,” Ai says. She sounds goopy and tries to cover it by turning away. She clears her throat but can’t quite manage to lose her grin. “We should tie up the dragon so we can figure out what’s up. Then I want food.”

Tessa kisses her on the cheek. “Sounds good.” 

***

The idea of marriage makes Tessa nervous. It feels dangerous, like tempting fate. She loves Ai more than anything. She doesn’t want to lose this. It’s not _till death do us part_ because when

Tessa dies and comes back Ai is always waiting for her. Ai is Tessa’s forever; she doesn’t know what she would do if something happened to her.

Ai is Tessa’s forever and she wants to get married.

Ai doesn’t push; she knows that Tessa loves her. She knows that Tessa is committed. There’s no rush, but Tessa still has no idea how to get there. 

Tessa and Ai visit Luume for Story’s ninth birthday. They bring Story a painted jacket from a city hundreds of miles away, which they like, and a dagger that looks like it’s made of darkness, which they _love._

Is Corra happy with Tessa after Story opens their presents? No, not really. It’s not her birthday though.

Tessa, Tseer, and Corra sit on Corra’s porch after dinner. Most of the party has dispersed. Seshmir had a church event and Zero had a mission from Timmy. Wyatt and River are still here, but they offered to wash the dishes and nobody objected. The five of them will stay the weekend before parting ways.

Now, they’re watching Otto walk Story through some basic rogue moves as a final birthday present with Ai volunteering as a living punching bag. Story looks like they’re enjoying the process, popping back up after every tumble on the grass with a toothy grin.

“They’re doing good,” Tessa says. “They know how to take a fall.”

“Yeah,” Corra says. She’s watching closely, but she looks amused rather than concerned, “We do this once a week. Otto and I are still working on convincing them that they’d be happier doing something else.”

“You’ve got time,” Tseer says. He’s got a wistful look on his face that Tessa knows means he’s thinking about that room, about the house that isn’t. Yet. 

“Yeah,” Corra says. “I’m trying to convince them to be a potter or something. How’s the wedding planning?”

The feathers on the crown of Tseer’s head fluff up a bit. “Good,” He says, “Really good. I’m letting them take care of it. Wyatt and River have opinions on the ceremony. I just want to get married.”

“Yeah,” Corra says, smiling as Otto helps Story flip Ai, showing them where to place their foot on Ai’s stomach to get the best leverage. “I understand.”

Before, this would have frustrated Tessa. She would be frustrated at Tseer missing her messages or of Corra knowing how she wants her life to play out. Now she's just grateful for them. 

“Do you guys get scared?” Tessa asks. “Like, do you feel everything is so good, so perfect that if you try something, even something you know is probably going to go well, the world will fall out from under you?”

“All the time,” Corra says. “My whole world is on that lawn.”

“I’m terrified I’m going to wake up,” Tseer confesses, “That this is all a dream and everything is going to be gone when I wake up.”

“How do you do it?” Tessa asks. “I can’t figure out how to move forwards.”

“I don’t know,” Corra says. “If we didn’t move forward, Otto and I wouldn’t have Story. We were happy before and I didn’t know what it would be like having a kid, or if I would be a good mom. But we did it, and they’re perfect. They’re both perfect.”

“I think I’m going to propose,” Tessa says. “I’m working it out. I don’t want to break this.”

“I don’t think you could break it, Tessa,” Tseer says. “It’s hard and it’s terrifying but if you want it, and Ai wants it, I don’t think you have to be worried.”

“Ai wants it.” Tessa says, “We want it.”

“Then, congratulations.”

***

“Is it on?” Ai asks, studying this new key with a critical eye. 

“Yeah, look, it’s got a little flashing light,” Tessa says, “Hey guys! I’m Tessa, you know-- from the posters, and this is my partner Ai.” 

“Hey y’all,” Ai says with a small wave. “Welcome to our tent.” 

“We’re about,” Tessa pauses, “Ai how far are we from Luume right now?” 

She shrugs. “Two thousand miles, give or take.” 

“Two thousand miles away from Luume,” Tessa repeats, “That would be roughly a week of constant travel, but we wander.”

“They know,” Ai says, “We made one of these last week, Baby.” 

“But this week we have questions,” Tessa says. “We got sent a lot of questions about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, so that’s why we’re doing this video.” 

“Next week we’ll have the usual stuff again,” Ai says, “Maybe we’ll punch a bear.” 

Tessa laughs and Ai looks at her like she’s done something wonderful. Tessa leans over and kisses Ai on the cheek, which makes her flush cherry-red. 

“Anyways!” Ai says loudly, “What’s the first question?” 

“The first question is _where are you right now?_ ” 

Ai opens the flap of the tent. It’s pouring outside, sheets of rain fall over the forest where they’ve made camp. It’s difficult to see anything more than ten feet from them in the downpour, let alone the rest of their surroundings. 

“In the middle of a thunderstorm,” Ai says dryly, “We were in Nuxvar day before yesterday though. Give me the key, it’s your turn.” 

Tessa hands over the key and Ai doesn’t even glance at it, completely ignoring their questions. “Ms. Tessa Blackmoor from the Posters, how does it feel to have the best fiancée in the whole goddamn world?” 

“I know that question wasn’t on the list, but I’ll give it to you anyways. It feels really fucking good.” 

**Author's Note:**

> i finished luume! i'm emo about it in a homosexual sort of way (my natural state)! i'm also recovering from an itsy bitsy surgery so if there are errors in this i plead not guilty by reason of distracting new tube in my carotid artery.  
> i'm still on tumblr [@chocolatechipsformorale](https://chocolatechipsformorale.tumblr.com/) and it would be chill as hell if you prompted me. 
> 
> (title from 11:11 by arkells because i heard it for the first time today and i just think it's neat)


End file.
